Altered States of Mind
by StormAshke
Summary: Direct sequel to "State of Mind"  Thanks for waiting!  Will Riber finally get what's coming to him...and if so, what will be the cost?


**Ok, you all waited long enough for this one. This is it. The end of the trilogy. Maybe. Sort of. Not really. You'll figure it out. If any of you are still out there then this for you. For your patience, your kindness and most of all for believing that I could do it. So! With that said I don't own them. I wish I did! Don't sue me but do please R/R!**

**ALTERED STATES OF MIND**

Lisa Hayes looked around and wondered what else she could do in the way of preparations and hummed happily as she twirled around her kitchen. She was cooking a magnificent feast for herself and her man. He would be home soon and she couldn't wait to welcome him back. It was true that things had been rough for them lately but finally their relationship was getting back to where it needed to be. She couldn't have been happier.

As the pots boiled and bubbled on the stove she removed the champagne from the refrigerator and settled it into the silver ice bucket, making sure the label was pointed just so. He always liked to be able to see what he was drinking and she didn't want any little mistakes destroying the night. She was hoping tonight would be a very special one for the two of them and that they would have a reason to celebrate. She believed he would propose to her tonight.

"Now settle down, Lisa! Don't get ahead of yourself!" she thought as she heaped the steaming vegetables into a bowl and placed it on the table. A glance at the clock on the wall reminded her she had just enough time to get changed into her favorite silver dress. She knew how much he loved that dress, always saying it brought out her eyes. With flutters of anticipation in her stomach she headed in to get changed.

She slipped the dress over her shoulders giving herself a little twist and shake to settle the thin material against her curves when she heard the clock in the living room chime. Quickly she hurried into the foyer. She knew he would be home at exactly five o'clock. He was never late and he would appreciate that she was waiting for him today of all days on their anniversary!

Just as the clock struck the final chime the door opened and the young man let himself in the door. Lisa flew into the tall man's arms almost knocking him over in her exuberance to greet him before he recovered and held them both up with deceptive ease. She felt rather than heard the masculine chuckle that reached her ears just before he kissed her.

Several moments later he released her and she looked up into his warm eyes.

"I'm so glad you're home, Karl!"

* * *

><p>"What do you mean there's nothing new? You're telling me you have <em>nothing<em> to go on?"

Captain Rick Hunter seldom raised his voice to his subordinates. He preferred a softer touch of command. Today was an exception to that rule. Today, he was dealing with matters not strictly of military importance.

"The Admiral has been missing for over a month and you're telling me that you can't find a single lead at all? She's the single most recognizable face of the RDF for Christ's sakes!" he bellowed at the men before him. It wasn't until Claudia took him by the arm that he realized he was taking out his very real frustration on the undeserving.

"Sir," one of the enlisted men began tentatively, "I didn't say we had nothing to go on. I just said we have nothing concrete. We've been tracking Riber's known accomplices and his known aliases. We've got a watch setup in a two hundred mile radius. I have the men looking for anything out of the ordinary in the way of purchases. We have his old addresses staked out and every business and specialty shop in Monument has his picture and several digitally altered versions of his appearance to show what he might look like now. I've ordered the Destroids to do ground heat sweeps to try to pick up her heat signature in case he's keeping her underground and you yourself have ordered the aerial surveillance by the Veritechs. All I mean is that everything that can be done right now is being done sir!" What was implied but not said was that Rick's demands for hourly reports did nothing except pull this very capable man off the job at hand and increase Rick's own frustration.

The young Captain scrubbed his hand through his hair and over his face. He could hear Lisa now as if she were next to him, "_Stop it flyboy or one day you're going to go bald doing that."_ He could hear her so clearly even though he had not laid eyes on her in a month. He could still remember the last time he had seen her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>One month before<strong>_

Warmth and softness. Those were his first impressions in the hour or so before dawn. Before he opened his eyes, he could identify the sounds of someone moving carefully around the bathroom. He smiled to himself and knew for a fact that Lisa was already awake. She was always restless the night before he went away on a trip. He was leaving this morning, heading out into the northwest Quadrant to meet with some of the new engineers regarding the Alpha project. While he was excited at the prospect of seeing the development of a new aircraft, he was distinctly unhappy to be leaving home.

He heard the water turn off in the bathroom and felt the change in air temperature as the steam poured into the bedroom. He rolled over and opened his eyes the tiniest amount he could get away with. It was still early after all.

"Uh huh, hotshot. I can see those baby blues!" Lisa teased from the dresser where she was gathering her uniform and laying it on the bed. Caught, he had no choice but to release the last hope he had of returning to sleep. Instead, he sat up and pulled the blankets closer around him. It was still cold even into March. "Morning, Bright Eyes, trouble sleeping?"

Emerald eyes warmed as she moved over to his side of the bed and smiled fondly at him. He was always so…cute…when he just woke up. His wavy dark hair askew and his normally clear blue eyes, slightly muddled and foggy. She resisted the urge to snuggle onto his lap. She had appointments this morning and he had a plane to catch.

"I've got those early briefings with Breetai this morning about the factory. I really hope they find an alternative. I'm hoping that assigning Commander Parsons to clean up that mess with the assembly line will keep it so that I don't have to assume command myself! I like space travel but I'm not sure now is the best time to be living at the factory for six months!" She giggled as he chuckled in response.

Secretly, with Riber still on the loose Rick wondered if it wouldn't be the best place for her. But he knew better than to start on _that _particular subject again, thank you very much. Especially not at, _oh brother,_ 4 o'clock in the morning! Besides, he had a much different idea for how he wanted to spend his last morning home. This trip was scheduled to be at least two weeks. And it was going to be a long two weeks!

"No way, Mister!" Lisa laughed and danced out of the way as he made a grab to drag her back into bed, "I've already showered and YOU are going to be late if you don't get up and get started. You're just lucky I packed for you yesterday!"

Mumbling about cold hearted sourpusses Rick got out of bed and headed into the shower while Lisa got them both some toast and coffee.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present time<strong>_

That morning had been the last time he had seen her. Things had been normal enough for the first week. They had talked two and three times a day. Starting the eighth day of his trip he couldn't reach her. It wasn't unusual in and of itself that she might get caught up in her own project so he hadn't worried until Claudia called to tell him that she hadn't been home. Michelle had said that she had left as usual the night before. Her driver said she had phoned down to him and told him that she wanted to walk home as the weather was fine and she had a few stops she wanted to make.

A quick search had showed signs of a struggle in an alleyway outside their local supermarket. A bag of spilled groceries, scuff marks in the half-frozen slush, several sets of footprints in what seemed to be an aggressive dance. It was Claudia who had realized what that had meant. There had been at least two assailants and Lisa had fought them as she had been taught. But the final piece of the puzzle was the small pool of blood near the alley wall.

Rick had dropped everything and flown back, hell for leather, to Monument pushing Skull One faster than he ever had before. Vince had later told Claudia and Jean that the engines on the Veritech had been so close to an actual meltdown that they had been glowing red hot when he'd landed.

Jean had typed and matched the blood against the known database trying to find out who it belonged to. Rick had been inconsolable until the results had come back. They had matched the blood not to Lisa but to Karl Riber instead. Lisa had struck to kill and she had hurt him. This was as much as they knew and as the days passed with no new word Rick was behaving more and more like a madman himself.

With a wave of his hand he dismissed the men in the room and went to stand by the window overlooking Monument Bay. _ "Oh Bright Eyes, where are you?"_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Somewhere in Upper State New York<strong>_

Karl Riber bent over the paperwork with a fanatical gleam in his eyes. His latest project was going perfectly. Of course it was! He catalogued the data he had been collating and continued to make adjustments to the monitoring equipment. A few more weeks and his life would be perfect once again.

He had known when he had taken Lisa the first time that Hunter's hold on her had been strong. He hadn't realized how strong until he had met her again in the alleyway. She had fought him like a demon possessed. If he hadn't had back-up with him she might have gotten away. As it was she had broken his arm and his nose before they managed to knock her out.

He snarled as he recalled how quickly she had lashed out at him. She had struck to kill. Not to hurt. Not to blind. But to kill. _How dare she?_ He closed his eyes and tried to breathe normally through a still swollen nose. He hated the bruising effect and raccoon eyes the broken nose had given his delicate and refined features. But no matter. Time was something he had in abundance. Lisa would certainly not escape him this time and that annoying mosquito Hunter would never even think to look here.

He allowed himself a self-satisfied glance into the lab where Lisa lay unconscious, strapped to a gurney with a yellow "thinking cap" on her head. The visor to the cap was open and he was able to frequently gaze on her without impediment as she slept. And of course he always gave her a good night kiss. What kind of a fiancé would he be if he didn't?

* * *

><p><em><strong>In The Dream<strong>_

Lisa was wrapped in warmth. She and Karl were dancing slowly around the living room. The music was low and the lights even lower. He had proposed over dinner as she knew he would and she had been so excited that she had leapt across the table to hug him accidentally spilling his wine. His features had clouded as she had jumped to clean up the mess cursing her clumsiness. Seeing her immediate contrition, he had relaxed and taken her hand. "Seeing as how it's a special night I suppose we can let that slide and we'll just say excitement got the better of you."

Lisa could hardly believe it. She had nodded as eagerly as a puppy and snuggled into Karl's lap. And now they were dancing together. Everything was almost perfect. Almost. She had a nagging feeling that she was forgetting something. Something important. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Karl?" she asked hesitantly, "Have I forgotten to do anything you needed done, darling? I just have this awful feeling that I'm forgetting something important and I would so hate to see this night ruined because of my thoughtlessness."

He squeezed her tightly in appreciation, "Not at all dear. You've done splendidly. I'm sure whatever is bothering is nothing concerning you and I."

Lisa bit her lip and wished she could feel as certain as he did because she was positive there was something she was forgetting. And it had something to do with the color blue. Every time she closed her eyes she caught a flash of bright blue and with that flash an emotional charge of pure adrenaline that made her heart race.

* * *

><p><em><strong>In the Laboratory<strong>_

Karl cursed fluently in three languages as Lisa's alpha waves reacted to the almost memory and he quickly inputted a sequence into his board. After a moment the alpha waves synched up again. It was annoying how her true past kept creeping into the universe he was creating for her. Given enough time and exposure to his reality she would seize on it as being true and real. Rick Hunter and the RDF would not exist for her.

The technology he was using wasn't new. It had in fact been in development for almost fifteen years. Before he had shipped out to Mars Base Sara he remembered having long talks with Donald over tea or brandy in the old man's study and discussing the ramifications of the research. He had always enjoyed the Old Man's study. Decorated in strong colors of black and red; they had soothed his mind and made creative thinking possible.

The military had wanted to use the research to create a race of fanatically devoted soldiers. Hayes was arguing that a soldier with no civilian ties would think only of his duty. Karl sat back and allowed his thoughts to wander over that long ago evening.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Fifteen Years Ago<strong>_

Lisa watched as the two men in her life chatted endlessly at the over the desk in her father's study. Both extremely focused on their own point of view, she wondered if either were even still aware she was in the room with them. She listened with appreciation as she cleared the evening's coffee cups as Karl made an especially articulate point.

"Yes, Sir, I do understand how you say that but which is more dangerous? A man fighting with nothing left to lose in his life and living only for his duty or a man who has a family and a future filled with hope? If you ask me, I'd not want to battle the man who was fighting for the lives of his children as opposed to the man who was lacking basic human emotions!"

Donald Hayes chuckled ruefully and cast an appraising glance over the young man his daughter was going to marry. At first glance he didn't seem like much but Donald believed the youngster had a warrior's spirit about him.

"I can understand your point, young man, but you've never been in combat and seen a soldier freeze under fire. It's a terrible thing to see a man so terrified and paralyzed that he can't pull a trigger to save his life. No, believe me; casualties would be lessened with the Oniro project.

"Is the process reversible, Sir? Do they get their lives back once the military finishes with them or are they automatons for the rest of their natural lives?" Karl adjusted his horn-rimmed spectacles on his nose and spared a smile for Lisa as she brought brandy in on a tray for the two men. She served her father first as was proper until they were married so Karl didn't let that bother him. Much.

"Oniro is reversible but only with very strong stimuli. A scent or picture isn't enough. It has to be an almost instinctual tie to another person to bring them around. The military is considering using the bond between parent and child. Once a soldier goes through Oniro and comes home again they would be reintroduced to their families in a controlled setting. It would take some time and a team of medical personnel but yes they would get their lives back."

"Excuse me, Father, but what would happen if the soldier's parents or child didn't make it until the time of reintroduction. What would happen to him then?" Both men turned to look at her, her father's eyes reflected shock but Karl's eyes reflected a hint of annoyance.

"Well, to be honest, it's a situation we're still working on. It would be best to have multiple ties, such as a father, mother and possibly child of their own to increase the odds of someone being available to help in the recovery. Otherwise it is quite possible that Oniro would be irreversible."

Lisa had a horrible vision of hundreds of young men and women wandering around the city, vacant and unknowing.

A fate worse than death in her mind.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present Day<strong>_

Karen Penn watched as Jack played a pick-up game of touch football in the hanger. He really was rather athletic. It was just that his mouth, personality and natural arrogance got in the way of his good looks. He did have a certain boyish charm about him though. When she didn't want to strangle him or pop his canopy at ten thousand feet that was.

"You're daydreaming again," Sue Graham nudged Karen's knee and handed her a can of Petite Cola before joining her friend to watch the game. Officially all Veritech squadrons were on stand-by yellow alert until the Admiral was found which meant they were all practically living on base. This didn't bother Sue so much as she got to see Captain Hunter a great deal more now.

People whispered about Rick going over the edge but Sue didn't think that was going to happen. He was holding up brilliantly. It was true he was barking orders a bit more than he used to and that he was a little bit more haggard but to her it just made him more attractive. Secretly, she wondered how long it would be until the search for the Admiral was called off.

Then she could begin the process of picking up the pieces of his life for him. Maybe then she and he could start a life for themselves together.

Sue sighed happily, which earned her an odd glance from Karen.

"What are you so happy about?" Karen snapped. She didn't like to have it pointed it out when she was lost in thought, especially not from Sue "I'm in a daze" Graham. If the girl put half as much effort into her piloting as she did fantasizing over the Captain, Silver Squad would be on top of all the charts!

"Well, I just heard that Captain Hunter is widening the sweeps. He wants us to move towards the Northeast Quadrant, something about this guy knowing that area even better than Monument. But you know I'm wondering just what the use is really. How do you find one guy in the middle of a wasteland? Especially a guy who doesn't want to be caught? I'm just wondering how long it will be until they realize it's a lost cause." Sue finished.

Karen spun to stare at her friend an angry retort on her lips when a voice of pure blue steel jolted them all to attention.

"We will continue to search until we have overturned every rock and every blade of grass on this planet. And then we will search the stars Lieutenant. Right now the single most important person in the RDF is Admiral Lisa Hayes. Do you understand that, Lieutenant? And anyone who isn't five by with that attitude may find themselves washing down the Veritechs with a toothbrush and waxing them with dental floss! Is that clear?" Commander Maximilian Sterling bellowed at the top of his voice. His naturally soft-spoken voice rose louder than many had ever heard it, carrying across the hanger and calling every person to attention. His eyes were livid behind his corrective blue-tinted lenses. Slightly to his right stood Mirya Parino-Sterling looking every bit as angry as and even more frightening than her husband.

"Crystal, Sir!" Sue answered loudly. Max glared at her for a moment longer and continued on towards Skull 2. Mirya did not make a move to follow Max but spoke instead, "I believe the flight helmets need to be re-categorized and stacked. And I believe you would be perfect for the job. It has been some time since an audit was done on the spare thinking caps used for the crew. I would like that report awaiting my return from this patrol. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Sue snapped out, rage bubbling in her chest. She had already been dressed down by Sterling she didn't need the Zentradei bitch getting on her case as well! She and Rick would have a serious talk about continuing any kind of a relationship with these two once they were together.

* * *

><p>Claudia watched as Rick pushed his food around on his plate. They were home now with little Roy; Claudia had hoped her son's antics might have cheered up her best friend some. But Rick was focused inward.<p>

"Honey, you know you've got to eat. You won't be able to help Lisa if you haven't got the strength to stand up anymore. And I know you haven't been sleeping either," Claudia carefully set her son in his highchair and moved to sit in the chair directly beside Rick. It was Lisa's chair and by mutual agreement they had been leaving it vacant for her. Claudia wondered now if that wasn't a mistake. Did that very real emptiness make it worse for him as it did for her? Trying to convey all her love and compassion for him in a single touch she laid her hand on his shoulder. She was surprised when his haunted blue eyes met hers.

Rick Hunter did not look exactly sane.

"I can't sleep without her, Claudia. I've tried. I just can't. I close my eyes and I have nightmares about where she is. In my dreams, its Alaska base all over again but this time I'm just a shade too late the whole place goes up before I can get to her. In that dream there's this weird old style door made out of wood. Like some kind of oak. I've tried to open the door but it's locked. And in the dream I feel like it's really important that I get through that door. But everything blows to hell and back before I can get it open. Veritech weaponry just bounces off of it. Or in the other dream it's that night, and instead of her just losing the baby I lose them both. Don't you understand? Its hell to be awake and not know but its worse to be asleep and see what could be happening!" Rick covered his face with his hands began to shudder and shake with silent sobs.

Claudia was quick to slip both her arms around him, "Easy, little brother, it's not going to happen that way. I promise! We'll find her. Lisa's smart and strong. She's got a lot going for her and she's not going to give you up without a fight! Not now after all this time! Why, did I ever tell you about the first time I realized just how strongly she felt for you?"

Rick sniffled once and silently shook his head.

"Well, let's see. I believe she had just shot you down over the Pacific." Claudia grinned and saw with relief that Rick's own lips twitched and a hint of humor came to lighten some of the shadows in his eyes.

For the next two hours the two of them shared funny stories about Lisa and laughed together. It was easier than waiting and worrying but Claudia knew it was only a temporary solution.

Later that night as she settled little Roy in his crib she sent a silent prayer up to the baby's father.

_Please Roy. If there's anything you can do, now would be the time. Please darling before we lose them both!_

* * *

><p>The following day, Claudia and Rick rode over to the base together. Little Roy would be spending the day with his cousin Bowie in the ship's child care center. Claudia had a morning meeting with Jean and Rick wanted to go over the new patrol reports. She knew he still wasn't sleeping. His eyes were sunken and he was unshaven. As long as she had known him, he had never even sported peach fuzz. Today he was on the verge of a true beard. Maybe she would drop a word to Max and see if he could get Rick to take care of himself.<p>

_He's slipping away more and more each day_, she thought to herself.

After dropping Rick off with Max she was finally able to swing by her sister-in-law's office. Jean was bent over some sophisticated microscope contraption with her back to the door and despite the situation Claudia just couldn't pass up a golden opportunity.

Making as little noise as possible, Claudia snuck up behind the doctor and tickled her sides.

"Gitchy gitchy goo!" Claudia burst out laughing as Jean shot straight up flinging a solution that she had been holding in her hands straight up where it managed to drench them both. And in another moment Claudia was ducking as Jean was throwing empty Petri dishes at her head, with surprising accuracy.

"This is what you get!" Jean said laughing and hurling another projectile at Claudia who was now totally on the defensive. She laughed again as Claudia snatched up a pillow from the couch and used it as a shield to fend off the next volley of tongue depressors that were being launched with total disregard for aim. After a bit of maneuvering Claudia was able to get herself towards the doctor's desk and found what she was looking for. A bottle of standard issue hand sanitizer. She held it up warningly.

Jeans' eyes got big and round, "You. Wouldn't. Dare." Claudia just grinned evilly and began to push the offensive making several feints as if she were about to squirt the astringent liquid at the doctor who was now scampering out of the way. Eventually, she got Jean right where she wanted her and made her move. She was able to tackle the doctor onto the couch and began tickling her without mercy until Jean cried "uncle." The two women, both panting and gasping, looked at each other and broke into helpless giggles.

Finally, after calling a truce and helping each other straighten out the office, Jean made them both a cup of tea.

"Thank you for that! I can't tell you how much I've needed a good laugh." Jean said still smiling and wiping her eyes.

"I know what you mean. It's good to let loose the pressure and I know it's what Lisa would want. It's just so hard. You know?"

Jean did indeed know. Lisa was like a sister to Claudia and this business of not knowing what was happening was at least as tough on Claudia as it was on Rick, obviously for differing reasons but still.

"Yes, I do indeed know what you mean. How's Rick holding up?" Jean sipped her tea and watched Claudia's gentle eyes go dark with pain and fear.

"Well, that's the reason I'm here. He isn't sleeping, Jean. He gets maybe an hour or two a night. He's running on heartache and adrenaline. I'm afraid that if he doesn't get some real rest, he's going to do real harm to himself."

Jean considered her friend's words for only a moment before their true meaning became clear, "You want me to dose him don't you?" It wasn't really a question and Jean could see the sense of it. Rick needed to sleep and let his body and his mind rest. If he continued to push himself in this manner he could actually fracture his own personality which wouldn't do anyone any good at all.

"Ok, here's what we do. Get everyone to your house tonight. Tell Rick it's to strategize over patrol reports and to pool our resources. He won't object to that. I'll have something that will put him to sleep and help him stay there. But only for a few hours Claudia. Any more than that and I could end up actually hurting him if he gets trapped in a night terror and can't get out."

Claudia knew that no-nonsense tone of voice. Jean was serious and she knew better than to argue with that. "Ok, I'll have everyone over tonight. Thank you Jean."

"I'd say anytime, but I really hope we never have to go through something like this again," Jean replied quietly.

* * *

><p>Rick sat in his seldom used office holding the black velvet box in his hands. He had purchased the ring the day after he had found out Lisa was pregnant. He had decided to hold off on proposing lest she believe he was only doing it because of the baby. After what had happened that night with Riber he had decided to wait so that Lisa wouldn't think he was proposing out of sympathy.<p>

As a result, the ring remained in its box and Lisa wasn't here. Would it have made a difference if he had proposed? Would she have listened or been better prepared? What could he have done differently? How could he have stopped this?

Rick scrubbed a hand over his stinging, swollen eyes. He hadn't cried this much in his life. Not even when Roy had passed away had he wept so completely. Not even when Lisa had lost the baby.

_I can't lose her! There has to be something I'm missing! Something I should be doing! Think, Hunter, think! Dammit!_

He was interrupted by Max walking into the door unannounced. He could tell by the slumped shoulders that once again the teams had come up empty.

"I'm sorry Ri-," Max began.

"It's ok, Max. I know everyone's working as hard as they can. I have to believe we'll find her. We have to Max. I have no choice." Rick looked down at the box in his hands. The velvet was getting worn from constantly being carried in his pocket. He would carry that box with until he was able to slip the ring on Lisa's finger. Until then the ring stayed with him. From the sympathy in Max's eyes he could tell that Max understood his thoughts. The ring was part talisman now to Rick. It was a connection to the woman he loved. No one would understand that attitude better than Max Sterling.

For his part, Max had had a rather enlightening discussion with Claudia. It was true Rick needed to rest but Max wasn't sure about this dosing business. He intended to stay with Rick while he slept and be there to forcibly awaken his friend if Rick showed any signs of distress. He sighed inwardly and continued with his part of the deception.

"Listen I have some ideas for some new patrol patterns that I'd like to run by you tonight. Also I think we should consider moving the patrols of the Destroids. If he does have her below ground it will be the Destroids that find her. Why don't we go over all this tonight over dinner. Claudia invited me, Mirya, Jean and Vince over for stir fry tonight, kind of an informal strategy meeting." Max held his breath to see which way this would go. For a moment he thought Rick would explode on him, and then his friend let out a deep breath and nodded.

"Sounds good, Max, it will be nice to see everyone at least. I'll catch you tonight then," Rick finished.

Recognizing a clear dismissal, Max rose gracefully and headed out of the office to go relate the good news to the others.

* * *

><p><em><strong>In the Lab<strong>_

Karl was frowning over the latest set of readouts. Instead of stabilizing and getting easier to maintain his reality it was actually getting harder. He himself hadn't been able to sleep in almost 36 hours. He needed fresh eyes and a clear head.

Lisa's memories kept pushing to the surface even though he had done his best to repress those beta wave patterns that continued to emerge. He just could not find the source to shut down the pattern. Surely it was embedded in her cerebral cortex but for all his probing he couldn't seem to get a handle on the leaks.

It had actually gotten so far that in the dream a wing of Veritechs had been performing maneuvers over the home he and she shared in his reality. She had been exposed to those damn aircraft for several moments before he had managed to bury the memory once again.

As a result he was patching holes but he wasn't gaining any ground in their reality. It was…disturbing.

He would have to make some adjustments and be a little more heavy handed than he had wanted in the beginning.

Grinning to himself he leaned forward and began to make adjustments to the dials. If all went well he would actually layer this reality. Lisa would dream within the dream. It would buy him enough time to get some sleep of his own. He carefully adjusted his aching arm and continued to adjust the settings.

As he watched, Lisa's alpha waves synched beautifully with the new patterns. Why wouldn't they? After all he was a genius wasn't he?

* * *

><p><em><strong>In the dream<strong>_

Lisa watched as Karl slipped into a deep slumber beside her in their bed. She resisted the urge to snuggle against him. He didn't like to be touched while he slept and she didn't want to risk his anger. The evening had gone so well after all.

By all rights she should have been eager to fall asleep herself given how late it was and how early Karl would want her up in the morning to make breakfast but for some reason she resisted sleep.

She continued to have troubling thoughts as she lay awake watching the patterns that the moonlight formed on the ceiling. The patterns formed into wisps of images some of which were familiar to her but as she would focus on them the moonlight would shift and the pattern would change again.

Karl had been so annoyed earlier in the evening when those strange planes were flying above their home. Lisa had tried to explain to him that the Hayes' estate had always been near to military airspace but Karl was still annoyed at the noise. Lisa had never really understood his irritation because she found the sound rather soothing. For some reason the sound of the engines and the rush of the acceleration made her feel safe. Even protected.

Thinking back now over the incident, it had been a little frightening how Karl had become visibly annoyed. His eyes darkened and his jaw clenched as his whole body went rigid. Almost like he was expecting a fight.

Lisa tried to shake herself out of these confusing thoughts. She was here with Karl where she had always wanted to be. Why on Earth should she feel suddenly restless? Like there was something she was missing. Something she should be doing.

With a sigh, she shifted carefully on the bed and drifted off into sleep. When she dreamt it was of the red and black study, a time long ago and a tall man with blonde hair standing at the old oak door with an urgent look on his face.

* * *

><p><em><strong>1800 hours<strong>_

Max watched as Rick snuggled baby Roy on his lap simultaneously distracting the boy from trying to shove his toy car is him mouth and substituting said car for a teething cookie instead. Not for the first time, Max realized just how good a dad his friend would have been and he felt a fresh wave of regret and anger sweep through him. If only he had been quicker that day and listened to Karen. They would have identified Riber faster and maybe gotten to Lisa quicker. Maybe he could have saved his two dearest friends' child.

"Max! I asked if you've got those new reports from the Destroids for me." Rick's voice was irritated and Max immediately shook off his regrets to answer realizing several moments had passed and Claudia was now putting the baby down for bed.

"I've got them Skipper but they aren't really all that promising. Riber's former pattern shows that he'd stay close, in the Monument area but the Destroids haven't really found a trace."

Rick shook the hair out of his eyes and sipped at the coffee Jean had so solicitously made for him. It was weird to have people serving him in his own house but if the concern showing in Jean's eyes was eased by making a cup of coffee then it was the least he could do to be courteous about accepting it.

"What are the chances that he's moved out of the area Max? I mean, maybe we're being too limited? With the search parameters we've put out we should have found some trace by now." Rick slammed his palm down on the offending map and watched his friends swap worried glances around the table.

"Actually, Rick that is a valid point." Mirya spoke calmly into the ensuing silence. 'I believe we should branch out and begin searching places from Riber's past. I have been assured that Micronians attach significant sentimental value to places that brought them happiness."

Max began to voice his objections and was immediately cut off by the look of fierce determination in his wife's eyes. It was wise to back down when Mirya's Zentradei steel will showed itself.

"No Maximillian! I believe and I have had this theory for some time regarding this situation that Karl Riber is not trying to abduct Lisa to harm her. I theorize that he believes Lisa and his life with her were stolen from him. And in his mind he has the right to take her back." Mirya broke off as startled looks and eyes widened as comprehension settled in brought looks of horror to the faces of those assembled.

Reflexively, Rick gulped the now cold coffee and felt his mind trying to wrap around that theory. "It makes such a sick, perfect sense. Oh my God they could be anywhere right now…" Rick trailed off as his stomach lurched and his vision wavered in front of him. The last thing he was aware of as darkness enveloped him was that Vince was behind him catching him as he fell.

* * *

><p>"Help me get him settled." Jean ordered as she arranged Rick's feet carefully on the sofa. The young man had fought the sedative she had added in his coffee for almost an hour. It was frightening how quickly he had gone down when it had finally taken effect.<p>

"I'll stay with him." Max said showing evidence of being settled in for the long haul.

As the others moved into the kitchen to continue their uneasy vigil Max sat at his best friend's side and waited. Almost immediately he noted Rick's eyes moving rapidly in his sleep. He wondered what dreams were flashing behind those eyes right now. Was he dreaming of having Lisa with him again? Max thought of how he would feel if the situation were reversed and was overcome with a fear so terrible that it squeezed the breath out of him and an ache so profound that he felt himself swaying where he stood.

Without thinking the young fighter Ace lowered his head and began to do something he hadn't done since the days on the SDF-1.

Max Sterling began to pray.

* * *

><p>"Hang on, I'm coming to get you out!" Rick felt his heart lift in his chest as Lisa's voice answered him over the comm.<p>

"You can't! It's far too dangerous..." Her voice had held more courage in that moment than he knew was possible for a person to possess.

Somehow he knew what would happen. He would fly to Alaska and he would rescue Lisa. The woman he loved.

_I'm dreaming. It's all happening again. Lisa is missing and I'm dreaming. _

Somehow that thought didn't cause him to wake up but it gave him the distance he needed to watch the scene play out before him. He knew he had made it in time, He knew he had saved her. Why was he so afraid now? Look! There's the hatchway. She's right beyond that hatchway now. He watched his own dream play out before his eyes. He saw Skull One's head laser descend and cut the hatch. But something was different about this dream.

_Where is she? She should be running out to meet me! _

Fear. Terrible and gripping tightened in his stomach as he began to struggle against sleep but something was holding him in this dream. The building began to rock as explosions sounded all around him. Flames licked at his plane and still Lisa didn't come!

Rick spun his head around looking for an escape route knowing there wasn't one only to spy through the smoke and flames an old fashioned wooden door.

_It's locked. It's always locked!_

Something moved through the fire and the explosions, clearing the smoke and making a path for him. Instinctively, he looked for the door again and through the carnage he saw a figure.

Roy!

_He's never been in this dream before. This is different!_

Roy Fokker beckoned to Rick through the flames and debris and Rick watched as Roy waved him on to the door. When Rick reached the door and reached out for the handle he felt Roy place his hand on top of his own.

The knob turned and the door swung wide.

* * *

><p>Max watched as tears leaked out of the corner of Rick's eyes. He was showing evidence of being trapped in a nightmare.<p>

"Jean! I think we should wake him up? He's getting really agitated here. That can't be good for him can it?" Max called out anxiously his concern showing plainly in his indecision. Max Sterling was not known for hesitating.

Jean came in from the kitchen with her medical bag and dropped down on the floor beside the couch to check his readings.

"His blood pressure is elevated some but that's to be expected here Max. This is just a normal dream sequence. I don't really want to wake him until he's been out for at least three hours. His body won't have any time to recover at all without at least that much rest. I know it's hard but we have to let him get through this. For his own good."

Jean was cut off as Rick began to toss his head back and forth violently as he cried out in his sleep.

"What's he saying? I can't quite make it out?" Jean asked as Max leaned in closer to Rick to hear better.

Max who was accustomed to deciphering Rick's voice over the comm static was able to make out the words easily.

"He's saying, 'It's opened and she's here.' He just keeps repeating those two things." Max had never felt more helpless to help his friend in his life. Not even that long ago time when Rick had been shot down and almost killed.

"We'll just have to keep a close eye on him, Max." Jean said in her most professional voice. The one they had taught her to use in Medical School when delivering bad news. Too bad they had never trained her how badly it would hurt to have your own loved ones in a position where you could do nothing to help them but be professional.

* * *

><p><em><strong>In the Dream<strong>_

Lisa watched as the tall man led her to the door of her father's study and opened the door for her. She walked in to see a harried young man so grief stricken that she instinctively held out her hands to him in a gesture of support.

When the young man moved to take her hands, Lisa felt a jolt like an electric shock go through her entire body.

Memory flooded through her system she knew what it was she had been missing all this time.

Rick. Her love. Her soulmate.

She remembered the alleyway, the fight and being overwhelmed by Karl and his trained killers. She remembered hurting him badly. Sudden revulsion for the illusion that had been imposed on her for so long had her Irish spirit fighting and her green eyes flashed in anger and defiance.

Until she met the anguish in Rick's own eyes.

She watched as tears fell freely from the blue eyes she adored so much and she couldn't bear it any longer. She took Rick in her arms and let him cry.

"It's ok, hotshot. I'm right here."

Rick wept on her shoulder and held on. Suddenly it no longer felt like a dream. He had to know. He could hear voices behind him, someone trying to draw him back to consciousness.

"Lisa! I can't stay. They're making me come back…we're dreaming. This is all a dream! Where are we? Lisa, please! Where are we?"

Lisa watched in horror as Rick's form began to fade in front of her. Suddenly it was like holding a projection. There was no substance. She shouted for him to hear, "My father's study Rick. Tell Claudia, the black fireplace! Tell her Rick!" Lisa watched helplessly as Rick faded away.

A dream was it? Trapped was she?

With a fury born from an anger that was frightening Lisa Hayes forced herself from her own dream. Fighting to emerge she awoke at first in the bed beside Karl who still slept blissfully unaware of her struggle to fight his control.

As she fought to escape the false reality she focused on what she knew her life actually was. And every time a memory came to her the foundation of the false reality shook as though it could feel her wrath.

A memory of baby Roy laughing with Claudia at their kitchen table flashed and as it did a wall cracked and dust fell on her. She reminded herself again that nothing here could hurt her and concentrated.

A flash of blue eyes and a cocky smile brought part of the roof down. On and on until there was nothing of the false reality left.

* * *

><p><em><strong>In the Lab<strong>_

Karl awoke from his rest to hear the shrill alarms of his equipment beeping. Something was terribly wrong! He bolted from the improvised bedroom and made his way to the lab as quickly as he could.

Bending over his equipment, he couldn't believe his eyes. The alpha and beta waves had reverted back to their original mapping. That could only mean Lisa would awaken soon!

Cursing steadily Karl quickly tried an emergency protocol to bring Lisa back under control. Even as he looked into the sleep lab he could see that she was trying to throw off the drug induced state.

She was actually trying to sit up!

Frantically, Karl fought the readings trying desperately to re-layer his alternate reality within her. Maybe he could convince her it was an earthquake.

Yes! He could do that. Adjust an algorithm there. Add a string of code here. Remove a safety protocol.

The scientist continued desperately fighting his equipment totally oblivious to the world around him. He knew he would fix this. After all he was a genius wasn't he? He could do anything. And besides Lisa was HIS. He deserved her back after all this time. It was his right.

One more line of code and he would have it!

"Hello darling, am I interrupting anything?"

Lisa watched as Karl slowly turned around from his machines. A month of immobility had made her weak limbed and shaky but she would be damned if she would let him see her weakness. Besides rage was a powerful resource. A resource Lisa Hayes knew how to wield well.

"Lisa I-" Karl began but was stopped as Lisa landed a powerful right hook to his jaw that sent him spinning.

Riber righted himself sweeping a hand across his bleeding mouth and feeling two loosened teeth.

"I thought that we could have our life back but you've changed Lisa. And I don't like it. You're not even worthy enough any longer for me to waste my time on." Riber spit out the words and shot out with a roundhouse kick aimed for Lisa's head.

But Lisa was a woman trained in martial arts by a master. A teacher who, out of her great love of her friend, had been one of the toughest trainers Lisa had ever encountered in her career.

Claudia Grant's words echoed in her mind as she danced lightly away from Riber's strike.

_Watch their eyes honey. Move counter to your instinct if your opponent knows you then they know your patterns. When you need to fight in close quarters surprise is your greatest ally. Keep him off balance until you get your shot. And when you get your shot don't you hesitate for a moment baby girl. You strike to kill. Bring him down!_

Lisa knew that Riber expected her to stay away from him, to fight to put distance between them as he was larger and presumably stronger than she was. So instead she rushed straight at him.

She had the distinct joy of seeing Karl's face lose all color as his mouth dropped open and then Lisa was attacking. As she was trained Lisa struck to blind with fingers to his eyes and catching him in a blink she sent a straight armed shot into his ribs. As he doubled over having lost his breath completely Lisa brought her knee up to strike him in the face.

Behind her she could hear rumbling and the sound of small explosions. "It won't work! You'll never bring me back! Never do you hear me? So you might as well stop the fireworks!" Lisa shouted again as the dazed scientist straightened one last time. Lisa took advantage of her chance and struck out with her own precise kick aimed for his throat.

She had the satisfaction of seeing the surprise on the madman's face as his hands flew to his throat and he fell totally defenseless to the ground before her. As she moved in to finish the job she felt herself being restrained from behind and whirled to confront this new threat.

* * *

><p>Rick sat up screaming and reaching out for a woman who was no longer there.<p>

Hysterical sobs tore at his throat until he realized all of his friends were gathered around him and Jean was holding his arm.

"Easy Rick, it's ok. It was just a dream!" Jean struggled to keep Rick from bolting off the couch and quickly snapped a look over her shoulder to Vince who read her intentions in a heartbeat.

Vince stepped in and with a palm laid gently on his friends chest restrained him from fighting.

"Rick, listen! You were sleeping deeply; we gave you something to help you rest. It's natural that you would be a little unnerved right now. But you were tossing and turning and in such distress that we had to wake you up. Do you understand me?"

As Jean spoke she was checking Rick's vitals. His BP was elevated and his o2 sats were off the charts. He was almost hyperventilating. Something he had dreamt had shaken him badly.

"No listen please! It wasn't a dream and you're not listening!" Frustration mounted in him as he tried to explain through the drug induced fog. "Lisa was with me. It was Alaska base and Roy was there and he opened the door. Jean! Stop that! Listen! Lisa told me to tell Claudia. She told me to tell Claudia about the fireplace. The black fireplace!" Rick was almost hysterical as he tried to push the big man's hand off his chest. It was imperative that they understood! They were wasting time.

"STOP!" Captain Claudia Grant shouted in a voice of command she learned from Admiral Henry Gloval. As the silence settled in Claudia focused on Rick's wild eyes.

"Ok Little Brother. You have the floor. Tell me what happened." Claudia knelt beside Rick and listened as he relayed the tale of his Alaska base dream and the difference with Roy opening the once locked door for him.

"Inside Lisa was waiting. She reached out and held me while I broke down. But the room we were in. It was strange. Claudia, she told me to tell you about the fireplace. It was a black fireplace! She said you would know it." Rick said desperately.

Realization had Claudia stumbling to stand up and step back. "Oh my god. Rick, you're absolutely sure? It was a _black_ fireplace?" Rick nodded and Claudia closed her eyes in disbelief.

"He's telling the truth. The absolute truth. Vince let him up! Listen, years ago Lisa told me about her father's estate in New York. The whole place was done in the old English style that Lisa's mothered favored. Except for her father's study. That's where the Admiral would retire to work. And it was a hideous red paneled room with a _black fireplace_. When Lisa asked her father about it he told her he liked the colors because they put him in an aggressive state of mind. Rick, Karl was constantly there before he went off to Mars. There were rumors back before the SDF-1. Rumors that Admiral Hayes had a secret military grade lab hidden somewhere on his property. _Underground!"_

"Would Riber ever have had access there do you think?" Max inquired as he stood up, already getting ready to order out the Skull teams.

"As Donald Hayes' prospective son in law and a brilliant scientist in his own right? I would say absolutely." Claudia ground her teeth in frustration. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before!"

Rick bolted off of the couch and into his bedroom coming out with his flight suit half zipped and his thinking cap under his arm. A glance at his wing mates had them racing to the door.

"I'll meet you two at the airfield. Vince, have Skull Wing prepped for a long patrol. We're going to the Northeast Quadrant. Have Skull One outfitted with the training seat for this flight. Claudia I want you to come with me. You've visited that estate. If there's anything left standing after Dolza's attack you'll be the one to recognize it. Call in the rest of the Skull on standby and have the Destroids assembled to move out at a moment's notice. Jean, prep your people. When we find her, I don't know what she'll need in terms of care." Rick snapped out the orders with more enthusiasm and precision than he had shown in over a month and it was with obvious relief that his people jumped to obey his orders.

"Aye Sir!"

"You got it, Skipper!"

"Of course, Captain!"

"We'll be ready!"

Twenty minutes later, Rick was racing to the airfield with Claudia in tow.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Base<strong>_

Karen Penn watched as the Destroids were outfitted with emergency hardware. If it weren't for the fact that she was constantly anticipating an emergency she would be over with her team outfitting her own plane right now. But Silver Two was ready to go and so she had a moment to admire the meticulousness of her comrades. Behind her she could hear Sue Graham swearing a blue streak.

"Goddamn this is ridiculous! We've been flying these missions for weeks! When are they going to accept that we aren't going to find anything new?"

Karen glared at her wing mate. "You don't know that Sue. You just want Captain Hunter for yourself and I'll tell you something. Your mouth is going to get you in trouble. Did you like organizing the spare flight helmets? Because I'm telling you if you don't cool it with your attitude I'll turn you into Sterling myself! Admiral Hayes is a great leader and you should be honored to be included in the search for her!"

Jack had finished prepping his plane and was taking a cat nap in cockpit when he heard the two women arguing. Deciding to keep a low profile he listened in with no hint of shame at all.

"Oh of course you would say that! Just because you can't understand any type of emotion connected to a person? I have no idea why Jack thinks there's anything in you worth trying for! You make the Zentradei look all warm and fuzzy!" Sue shot back her brown eyes blazing as she stood toe to toe with Karen. Why were so many people determined to come between her and Rick?

Jack chose that moment to leap down from his plane and put a stop to the cat fight before it got really ugly. "C'mon ladies, we've got a job to do. And Sue, if I were you I'd be real careful of who you make an enemy of around here. Hey, wow, look at that! They're refitting Skull One. Captain Hunter must be taking someone with him. I bet its Captain Grant. If there's anyone he'd have riding shotgun it would be her." Jack tried to distract the two women. "It's time to get back to the job at hand! Silver Wing, mount up!"

Karen glared at Sue until the younger woman moved to her plane. She didn't know what it was about Sue but something had changed. Karen couldn't help but feel Sue was losing her edge and maybe even becoming fixated on Captain Hunter.

_This could be dangerous._

* * *

><p>Rick handed Claudia his spare thinking cap and watched as she hesitated for only a moment over the black and silver helmet. With a gentle hand on her arm he helped her climb up into the cockpit of Skull One and into the back seat with its training controls.<p>

"Honey, I know this is totally off topic but have you ever worn this helmet?" Claudia asked curiously.

Rick grinned towards the back of the plane as he began his preflight check. He knew Claudia was trying to distract him from the magnitude of the task at hand but found it heartwarming instead of irritating.

"I've never been able to bring myself to wear it. Honestly, I'm more comfortable with mine. Also most pilots you'll find can be superstitious. That's not really me. I just think I look better in red," he teased.

Claudia chuckled as Rick contacted the bridge and got the signal to fly out with Max and Mirya at his wing.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Three Hours Later<strong>_

"I don't see anything yet, Rick but it was a long time ago and the landscape has changed after all." Claudia tried not to let her frustration show through. She knew Rick was counting on her memory of the area to help pinpoint the coordinates of the old estate. The problem was when you were flying at MACH infinity it pretty much made looking out the canopy window a blur.

"It's ok Big Sister. I have an idea." Rick began tweaking the dials and levers on his control board and all of a sudden a camera image of the countryside below them became visible on Claudia's screen. "We used this back in the war when we were doing reconnaissance. Just let me know when to start the deep scans. The Destroids are behind us moving at ground pace. They're waiting on our say so before they put the burn on to catch up to us."

"Ok, Flyboy, if you're sure this will help." Claudia began to watch her screen intently. Suddenly they were passing over a dry, cracked lake bed and a sudden image of swimming towards a floating dock in the middle of a deep lake where Lisa sunbathed flashed through her mind.

"Rick! I think this is the edge of the estate! I remember that lake…well it used to be a lake." Claudia called out excitedly glad that her microphone was on an open channel because Skull Wing was alerted instantly.

Claudia took a moment to marvel at how well this team worked together. Before Rick could even toggle his microphone Mirya had peeled off and was descending into scanning range on the lake bed while Max climbed high above her to provide cover even as Rick veered Skull One in a steep turn to scour the forest lands.

"This is Commander Sterling to all Destroid units. Concentrate on the coordinates that are being sent to your terminals. Report any unusual energy readings. Sterling out!"

Claudia heard Mirya issue the call to the ground units even as she felt Skull One begin a steep descent. She could hear Rick over the comm unit muttering to himself. "Come on, if I was going to hide a secret military base where would I put it? I need to hide the energy signatures. I need a way to secure the equipment. I need a way to vent it, to keep sensitive equipment cool. I need-"

"A water supply, Rick!" Claudia broke in excitedly, "Concentrate on the lake bed! He would have needed the water to cool the systems! I remember Lisa talking about how unusually deep this lake was! I'll bet it's not a natural lake! It's gotta be man-made! Rick, he had the lake built to hide the lab! I'm almost sure of it!"

Rick swore through the comm unit, "Skull two and three, did you get that? Mirya get those Destroids down there!"

As one, Skull Wing descended until they could begin the process of deep scanning from the air. An hour later the Destroids joined the search.

* * *

><p>Skull One blasted at the target that the Destroids had pinpointed and quickly unearthed a bunker blast door. With total abandon Rick fired two missiles into the blast door and was winging his way through before the smoke cleared. He didn't even need his proximity sensors to tell him Max was on his right and Mirya was to his left.<p>

Together in a tight formation they zoomed through the wide hallway shifting into Battleoid mode and blasting obstacles out of the way. It reminded Rick of that long ago day in Alaska base. The structure wasn't holding up well against the battering and Rick knew that soon they would run out of room for the Veritechs.

"All stop!" Rick ordered and pulled Skull One in tight and waited for Max and Mirya to come to a stop beside him. "We have to go on foot. Grab your sidearms and the first aid kits. Let's move."

The four would be rescuers moved through a dank tunnel and heard the sounds of a struggle up ahead. Rick broke into a run and with the others right behind him he burst through a door at the end of the tunnel.

Just in time to see his Lisa drop Riber to the ground with a devastating kick to the throat. He sprinted forward and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her to look at him.

"Lisa! Oh thank God!" Rick felt the tears running down his face as he pulled his reason for living tight against him. Behind him Max and Mirya were restraining Claudia from finishing the job that Lisa had started.

It took only a moment for Lisa to realize that this was indeed real. Her family and friends had come to find her and it really was her flyboy that was holding her. She linked her arms tight around Rick's neck and buried her head in his neck and sobbed.

"I knew you were alive!" Rick kept repeating. "I knew you had to be alive. I knew you wouldn't leave me."

"I knew something wasn't right Rick. He tried to make me forget but things kept coming back. He was drugging me. Using my father's old Oniro technology to keep me locked inside of myself but Roy-"

"You dreamed of Roy too? He brought me to you. He opened the door." Rick began escorting Lisa out of the remains of her prison and back to the waiting Veritechs.

When they arrived, there was a heated argument going on. "I don't know what to do with him. I didn't think to have our Veritechs outfitted with training seats too. Frankly I wouldn't want him in the seat behind me anyway!" Max argued.

Mirya stated, "We can leave him tied here and have the Destroids cart him back to the base."

Claudia shook her head, her dark eyes fierce, "No way, I don't want him anywhere near those Destroids. He worked around them for several months. I don't want to take the chance that he could disable them. He's not getting away this time!"

"Then what on earth do we do with him?" Max asked baffled.

"You leave that to me. I have the perfect solution. And as for Lisa, that's no problem. She can ride home on my lap." Rick gave that cocky grin that could move mountains in Lisa's world and she felt herself begin to laugh as she hugged him again.

"Ok, mount up, Mirya. Max help Claudia get settled in Skull One and I'll be right back." Rick jogged down the tunnel and came back carrying the yellow thinking cap from the table where Lisa had been held.

Rick slammed the helmet onto Riber's head and lowered the atmospheric shield which pilots used to provide oxygen to them in case something happened to the canopy in space.

"I'll make sure he gets home in one piece and Claudia can still keep an eye on him."

Quickly, he helped Lisa up into Skull One's cockpit and then got her settled on his lap wearing his helmet. "Hey this is just like old times," he joked as he got settled and began a quick preflight check. "Lucky we're already in Guardian mode." Rick eased out with his mount's massive hands and scooped Riber into the cupped palms effectively caging him. "Believe me, I traveled this way once. It may not be the most comfortable but with the thinking cap and us flying at a low enough altitude he won't freeze to death and he'll still be able to breathe." Rick assured his friends as he took to the air and headed for home.

"It's more than he deserves, Rick." Lisa said firmly as she snuggled closer to him.

"You got that right, Sister." Claudia growled from the back seat. "Maybe we can drop him off somewhere along the way," she suggested half-heartedly.

"Yes, somewhere around thirty-thousand feet would be most appropriate." Mirya offered in her most helpful tone.

A split second of silence could be heard over the comm unit before the sound of laughter exploded from all three planes.

"Maximilian, what is it? What did I say? Why is everyone laughing? Would that not have the desired effect?"

The petulant tone of her voice only made the friends' hilarity persist as they winged their way home.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two Weeks Later<strong>_

Lisa Hayes looked around and wondered what else she could do in the way of preparations and hummed happily as she twirled around her kitchen. She was cooking a magnificent feast for herself and her man. He would be home soon and she couldn't wait to welcome him back. It was true that things had been rough for them lately but finally their relationship was getting back to where it needed to be. She couldn't have been happier.

As the pots boiled and bubbled on the stove she removed the champagne from the refrigerator and settled it into the silver ice bucket making sure the label was pointed just so. She was hoping tonight would be a very special one for the two of them and that they would have a reason to celebrate.

"Now settle down, Lisa! Don't get ahead of yourself!" she thought as she heaped the steaming vegetables into a bowl and placed it on the table. A glance at the clock on the wall reminded her she had just enough time to get changed into her favorite silver dress. She knew how much he loved that dress, always saying it brought out her eyes. With flutters of anticipation in her stomach she headed in to get changed.

She slipped the dress over her shoulders giving herself a little twist and shake to settle the thin material against her curves when she heard the clock in the living room chime. Quickly she hurried into the foyer. She knew he would be home at exactly five o'clock.

Just as the clock struck the final chime the door opened and the young man let himself in the door. Lisa flew into the tall man's arms almost knocking him over in her exuberance to greet him before he recovered and held them both up with deceptive ease. She felt rather than heard the masculine chuckle that reached her ears just before he kissed her.

Several moments later he released her and she looked up into his warm eyes.

"Welcome home, Flyboy."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Two Hours Later<strong>_

Rick was cuddled on the couch holding Lisa against him, covered over with a blanket as they watched an old movie together. Rick shifted uneasily and Lisa sat up looking at him with concern.

"Rick, are you ok? You haven't been able to sit still at all tonight. You've been twitching for an hour."

Rick took a deep breath and thought to himself, "Ok, here we go. You can do this. You've led men into countless battles. This one should be easy!"

"Actually, I had something I wanted to talk to you about. I don't think I have ever been so close to actually losing my mind as I was when you were missing. All I could see was that my future and my life was gone. It was like life was like this movie. Black and white and flat. There was no sparkle. No adventure. No safety. No color. In short, Lisa there was no _you_." Rick shifted on the couch until they were face to face again and he took her hand in his and with his free hand he reached into his pocket feeling the worn, velvet box he gripped it fiercely before bringing it out and opening it revealing a two carat diamond solitaire surrounded by emerald chips in a platinum setting. "I have carried this with me since the day after you told me about our baby. I have carried it every day hoping I would be able to find the right time to give it to you. When you were missing I carried it because I wanted a piece of you with me. It became my talisman and my hope. But I don't need that anymore because I have you. Elizabeth Marie Hayes, would you be my light, my hope, my adventure and my love for the rest of my life? Will you marry me?"

Rick waited seeing shock, surprise and finally sheer joy brighten those green eyes he loved so much before Lisa flung herself at him kissing his forehead, cheeks, neck and finally his lips before nodding as tears of happiness began to fall.

"I love you so much Rick, she whispered as he slipped the ring on her finger, "When he had me, even when he thought he was winning, you were still with me. That fact gave me the strength to fight him. You're my courage, my innocence, my joy and my heart, Rick Hunter."

Rick hugged Lisa to him again and could not believe how lucky he was to have this woman in his life. And once again he vowed no one would come between them.

* * *

><p><em><strong>That Same Night <strong>_

Karl Riber sat in solitary confinement wearing paper slippers and a prison issue jumpsuit. He was humiliated that these lesser individuals had captured him once again. He would get out. He knew that. But, oh yes, this time those Robopunks were taking precautions. He was fed through a slot in the door. The force field around his cell had three backup generators and in the case of a catastrophic failure a blast door would cut him off from the rest of the prison. He was actually beginning to despair.

And then his salvation walked in on two legs with the changing of his guard. A pretty thing this young brunette. And with such an air of…finality about her too. He recognized her from his time on the base. The one with the thing for the annoying Captain Hunter.

"You realize," he wheezed through his still healing larynx, "That you and I have a common problem? What if I were to suggest a mutually acceptable common solution?"

Riber grinned as Sue Graham turned and gave him a slow, predatory smile.


End file.
